Separated, but Never Apart
by XamemegamiX
Summary: The sequel to A Simple Wish. As Kagome and Inuyasha are forced into their separate worlds, they learn more about themselves and each other, as well as the bond between them. Will Kagome ever get back to the feudal era? Will she ever see Inuyasha again?
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! It is now summertime and about time that I started the sequel to A Simple Wish. If anyone even remembers what that story was about, it was so long ago! It ended with our two favorite lovers parting to their separate eras, remembering fondly their first, and hopefully not last, kiss! Enjoy chapter one of Separated, but Never Apart. Sorry that it is so short, but it is just to give you a taste of what is to come! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. Those belong to Rumiko!

Chapter One: Just Breathe

Kagome sighed as she stood alone before the large building. She wasn't really alone, of course, as there were many students filing into the building around her, all with happy smiles upon their faces. The wind kicked up and blew Kagome's hair around her. The same green skirt that she had worn to middle school fluttered around her legs. With one last look at the high school that she would be attending for the next three years, Kagome gripped the shoulder strap of her familiar yellow backpack and made her way inside. She couldn't help but think about how she would rather be back in the feudal era. She would even sleep with bugs and be fighting a nasty, smelly demon. If only it meant that she could see him again.

She told herself to simply breathe, that taking one breath at a time would get her through this day.

Before Kagome could reach her new classroom, her three middle school friends caught up to her, chatting happily to one another.

"Kagome!" Yuka cheerfully called, waving her hand at Kagome. Kagome forced a smile on her face and waved back, waiting in the hallway for her friends to catch up. The three of them instantly formed a circle around her.

"I'm so glad that you made it through your entrance exams, Kagome. We were surprised, considering all of the absences you had," Eri said, meaning no insult. Kagome felt a twinge of sadness when she thought about the real reason that she had missed so much school. _Inuyasha…_

"Yeah, well, I still have to take lower level math and English," Kagome mumbled, embarrassment coloring her face. Ayumi smiled and put her arm around Kagome's shoulder. _Breathe, just breathe. _

"Don't worry Kagome, I will help you study. And taking lower level classes is nothing to be embarrassed about. How was your summer?" Ayumi asked, effectively changing the subject. Kagome felt the smile on her face falter. She remembered being with Inuyasha, floating between worlds. It almost felt like a dream to her now, that brief moment that he held her tightly, afraid of her disappearing. The one thing that kept her from dismissing it all as some fairytale dream was the kiss they had shared.

Her face felt hot at the memory and she could almost feel his kiss upon her lips once more. She blushed once she remembered where she was. Her face turned an extremely bright shade of red as she met the looks of her three friends.

"I…uh…it was…good," Kagome managed to stammer out, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. Her three friends giggled, interpreting the blush that had grown on her face for something else.

"Ooo, did you spend it with that bad boy boyfriend of yours, Kagome?" Yuka questioned, a slight smirk on her face. Before Kagome could answer, the bell signaling the beginning of class went off and Kagome let out a sigh of relief. _Saved by the bell, once again…_

"Well, we better get going to class!" Kagome hastily walked away, not waiting to see what else the three could come up with to ask her. Once safely in her classroom, with the teacher droning on about math equations, Kagome's mind fell into daydreaming. She stared mournfully out the window, remembering all of the true friends that she had left behind in the feudal era. She wondered if Sango was pregnant by now and if her and Miroku had a beautiful wedding. She imagined Sango in a beautiful white formal kimono and Miroku in traditional black robes. A smile grew on her face at the thought.

"Higurashi? Are you with us?" Kagome snapped back to reality at the sound of her teacher's voice and she embarrassingly stumbled to her feet hastily, pushing her chair back with a screech.

"Sir!" Kagome read the problem that the teacher told her to; she even knew the correct answer. Sitting down, Kagome's mind drifted once more, 500 years into the past. An image of a tall half demon with silver hair and a red robe of the fire rat drifted into her mind and her spirits dropped. She sighed and reminded herself to just breathe. So she took in a large breath and attempted to listen to the teacher, ignoring the pain that throbbed in her heart.

Inuyasha's ear twitched, and he wiggled his body in an attempt to stop the itching, for the hundredth time. The black formal attire that Miroku had forced him to wear was itchy and bothersome, but Inuyasha grudgingly conceded to it once Miroku had given him that pleading look and that damned "you're like the brother I never had" speech.

His breath hitched in his throat when Sango made her appearance for the first time. He had seen her destroy demons with ruthless efficiency, but he had never seen her look so much like…a girl. She looked beautiful, and he was proud of her as if she really was his sister. He couldn't help but image what it would have been like if Kagome was still around. He imagined her in the flowing and glimmering fabric that Sango was wearing. In his mind, he could see her hair in ringlets, falling down her smooth back. He could picture the white dress hugging the curves of her body perfectly, moving gracefully with every step she took.

In an attempt to bring himself back to the present, Inuyasha glanced over at Miroku. Tears glistened in the monk's eyes as he witnessed his bride. His smile only faltered for a moment, in tune with Sango's. They both looked solemnly to the spot where Kagome would have been standing, if she had been around. Sango locked eyes with Miroku once more, and their smiles returned. It had happened in a few seconds, but the pain Inuyasha felt dragged out for what felt like eternity.

"I wish Kagome was here to witness this, Inuyasha," Miroku muttered under his breath. It was barely more than a whisper, but Inuyasha's ears caught what he said perfectly. Not trusting his voice to speak, the hanyou simply nodded his head, swallowing hard to force back the tears that threatened to fall. He watched the entire wedding ceremony and did his part, but his mind was elsewhere, 500 years into the future.

After the ceremony, Inuyasha politely excused himself from the celebrations. At least it was polite for Inuyasha. He gave Miroku and Sango a mumbled congratulations and hastily made his retreat, not saying goodbye to anybody in his haste. He wasn't in the party mood and besides, he wanted to distance himself from the newest hut in the village before nighttime fell and the newlyweds retired for the evening. Good hearing could be such a curse sometimes.

The red clad dog demon simply ran, with no destination in mind. It didn't surprise him in the least when he realized that his feet had led him directly to the sacred tree. Slowing to a walk, he approached the large wooden plant and placed a palm on its smooth surface. He could almost feel Kagome's presence, as if she was standing right beside him.

"I miss you, Kagome. I wish you were here. You would have loved the wedding," he whispered softly, which was a rare thing. He doubted that Kagome would even recognize his voice without some form of snarl to it. He sighed longingly, remembering all the times that they fought and all the memories that they had logged together. He imagined what it would be like to hold her in her arms and he imagined how much she would have loved helping Sango with her wedding. He pictured her rushing to and fro, doing Sango's hair and helping him into his dress clothes all at once.

He closed his golden eyes and brought her face to life in his mind. He envisioned her chocolate brown eyes and her raven hair, blowing slightly in the wind. He could see the annoyed look on her face as she attempted to control the unruly mass and he heard her sit him for laughing at her foolishness underneath his breath, which apparently wasn't quiet enough. He'd give the world for her to be back, even if it was only to sit him. It would be worth it to hear her voice, see her soft lips move gracefully and watch as she cockily placed a fisted hand upon her waist.

"Please come back soon, Kagome." With those final words, he rested his forehead against the truck of the tree—their tree; the tree that connected their two worlds, and therefore, connected the two of them as well. Sighing in remorse, he turned and made his way back towards the village. He might yet get some entertainment this evening, if Miroku had drank enough saki to forget that he was married and could no longer hit on the village girls. He could practically hear the Hirakotsu breaking over the dumb lecher's head, and a small smile rose to his lips. _You will return to me Kagome, I just know it._

A short first chappie, I know! Please forgive me? I just had to get something up before you all forgot about me! Look for the next chapter to the story, which should be up before too long, hopefully! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all the characters involved do not belong to me, neither does the original storyline. All credit there goes to Rumiko Takahashi.

Hello, fellow readers and writers alike! Thanks for taking the time to read my story! As promised, here is chapter two of Separated, but Never Apart! Enjoy!

Chapter Two:

Kagome opened her bedroom window and the familiar longing filled her entire body. She longed to run down the stairs into the well house and throw herself into the well. She longed to return 500 years to the past and rush into Inuyasha's arms. She could imagine him then, perched on the sill of her window, an angry scowl on his face.

"_What's keepin' ya, wench? We've got jewel shards to find!" _

She could almost hear him yelling at her, his voice fresh in her memory. _But for how long?_ It had already been six months since Kagome had last seen Inuyasha in the dimension between worlds. Not a single day went by where she didn't attempt to get back through the well. She thought of Inuyasha often, but the tears that used to stain her pillow slowly dried to a stop. Her hopes were starting to run dry as well, but she still clung to the smallest sliver that she would be reunited with Inuyasha once more.

Sighing, the young woman returned to her studies, trying to force golden eyes and fanged, crooked smiles out of her mind's eye. An hour later, she gave up and threw herself onto her bed, remembering moments she had with Inuyasha and their unlikely group of friends.

It occurred to her that every time someone joined their group, they tried to kill Inuyasha. Or, in the case of Kagome trying to join Inuyasha's solo group, the half demon turned his claws on her. She remembered Shippo pinning Inuyasha to the ground with his statue and stealing away with the jewel shards to avenge his family, leaving Inuyasha to succumb to whatever fate fell upon him.

She remembered Miroku taking her bike and the large chunk of the jewel that they had worked so hard to collect. Inuyasha had hunted him down and attempted to kill him, but not before getting a taste of the wind tunnel's powers. She also remembered throwing herself in the path of the wind tunnel in order to save Inuyasha's life. _But he saved my life so many more times than I've saved his._

Lastly, she thought of Sango, who was barely clinging to life through the aid of a jewel shard and her misguided hatred for the hanyou. Her burning desire for revenge caused her to believe Naraku and turn her giant boomerang weapon against Inuyasha in an attempt to avenge her village and comrades. Inuyasha had defeated her without causing her any injury. _If we had encountered her earlier in our travels, he would have killed her without a second thought. He used to be so cold hearted and cruel, but he grew kind and just. _

Kagome glanced once more at her open window and wished that Inuyasha would come leaping through it. She would hug him and kiss him and watch him sleep peacefully on her soft bed. _He never rested, not when he had all of us to protect. The only time I really saw him sleep peacefully was here in my time, where danger always seems so far away. _

As her eyes drifted shut and she started to slip into a deep sleep, Kagome could have sworn that she heard Inuyasha whispering quietly. _Inuyasha whispering? Yeah right. _Kagome laughed quietly to herself before sleep claimed her.

Shippo ducked as a large chunk of tree came sailing over his head. His tail quivered from the close proximity to such danger and he immediately turned in fury towards the one responsible.

"Inuyasha!" Without a moment to waste, the young fox demon launched at the hanyou, digging his little teeth into the older man's shoulder.

'Dammit, runt," Inuyasha sneered, punching Shippo in the head to dislodge him. Shippo flew off and hit the ground, tears growing large in his eyes. Realizing that he had hit the kid harder than he had intended didn't stop him from continuing his rampage through the forest that had once shared his name.

Shippo watched Inuyasha run off, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. This was how things had become, ever since Kagome had left them. Some days, Inuyasha was quiet and kept to himself. Shippo saw him looking into the well with longing or laying a palm against the sacred tree. He even thought he heard him whisper to the tree once, but he must have been hearing things. Inuyasha didn't…no, couldn't whisper.

Mostly though, Inuyasha acted like he was at the moment. His angry nature would rise to the surface and he would wreck havoc on everything and everyone around him. It had been ten long months since Inuyasha saw Kagome; it had been even longer for everyone else who wasn't lucky enough to share some time with her between the worlds.

Shippo had grown up a little in those long months. He learned how to be faster and stronger…mostly because he needed to avoid Inuyasha after he picked on him, since Kagome wasn't there anymore to protect him. Being punched multiple times in the head was really a great motivational tool for learning how to be a more powerful demon.

A mournful sigh escaped the kitsune's lips as he sat down on the ground where Inuyasha had left him. His tears had dried up, but his sorrow was still present. _I miss you, Kagome._ He could picture her laugh and bright brown eyes so clearly that it was as if she was right in front of him. He felt like no one wanted him, now that Kagome had left.

"Sango and Miroku are all fussy about Sango being pregnant and Inuyasha is either sulking or beating everything up," the young child said out loud, to no one in particular. "I don't belong here anymore."

"What makes ye say that, child?" The kitsune jumped at the sudden voice, but his heart quieted down when he noticed that it was only Kaede. She carried a basket full of herbs that grew in the forest. He felt a mild sense of shame that he hadn't heard her coming. "Would ye care to accompany this old woman back to yonder village?" Shippo nodded once and ran to Kaede's side. He politely took the basket from her arms, just like Kagome had taught him.

"Ye must forgive Inuyasha, Shippo. Kagome's absence is tough on him. Even more so when he is in the presence of love such that Sango and Miroku share," Kaede said as the two made their way to the forest path. Shippo didn't feel much like forgiving anyone, but he knew that he was supposed to respect his elders. _Inuyasha doesn't count as an elder since he acts like such a baby, _Shippo decided.

"I'm not needed here," Shippo found himself saying. Kagome had once told him how easy it was to open up to Kaede and how wise the old woman was. "And I miss Kagome," he added, although that much could have gone without saying.

"Aye, I miss Lady Kagome as well, but it does no good to dwell on things that ye have no control over, child. Fate has it's own way of working things out." Shippo glanced at Kaede out of the corner of his eye and noticed that she had smiled when mentioning fate. As if fate taking his Kagome away was anything to smile about…unless she was smiling about something else…

"So, you think fate will bring Kagome back then!" Shippo discovered what it was that Kaede had to smile about. The prospect of Kagome returning, even if it took a while, was great news to the kitsune.

"I don't know, Shippo. The most we can do is have hope and hold it close." The elderly woman took her basket from the kitsune and made her way into her hut, humming a beautiful tune to herself. Shippo decided that she knew more than she was letting on and he took it upon himself to find out just what the old woman was hiding.

Another short chappie and I am sorry about that! But, it will have to do to keep updating so quickly! Thanks for reading, and I do appreciate reviews, especially criticism!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I profit from any of these stories. All ownership belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Thank you for reading! Here is the next chapter! Sorry I have been absent for so long! Enjoy!

Chapter Three: The Connection Between Worlds

Kagome hadn't been sleeping lately. Tomorrow would mark an entire year since she had last seen Inuyasha, but that wasn't what was keeping her awake. Every time she went to close her eyes, she could have swore that she heard Inuyasha whispering things. The words that he was saying eluded her, but she knew that the voice was his. She would never forget that voice, she decided. No matter how many years, months, or days passed before she saw Inuyasha again.

She could also remember his eyes clearly and she could picture his face. Kagome was happy that he wasn't fading from her memory, but she still would have preferred to see him in person. She couldn't remember his smell, but she remembered that it had an earthy and male scent to it. His smell always reminded her of the outdoors, and would make her long for adventures and nights beneath the stars. Without that smell around her, she felt lost within her own world.

She was still in the midst of her summer, but her second year of high school was going to begin shortly. Without the distractions of the feudal era, Kagome faired much better with her schoolwork, but she still hardly scraped by. Her mind was lost to the past for most of the year. Could she remember Inuyasha's scent back then? She couldn't remember anymore. Most of the nights ran together into one long year of misery and loneliness.

Sighing, Kagome resigned herself to another sleepless night and, pushing her pink comforter away, she rose to her feet. Instead of opening the window and hoping for Inuyasha to suddenly come leaping in, the young woman padded silently past her brother's bedroom, down the steps, and out the front door. Quietly, she closed the door behind her and walked slowly. Her heart dragged her towards the Sacred Tree.

_The Sacred Tree; this is where Inuyasha and I met. This is where it all began. _She remembered how he thought that she was Kikyo at first.

"_You look pretty dumb down there Kikyo. The Kikyo I know would waste no time."_

"_Kikyo! Kikyo! Kikyo! Whoever she is, I'm not her, cause my name is Kagome. Ka-Go-Me!" _

Little did she know that she would find out exactly who Kikyo was and that she still had Inuyasha's heart. _But that's over now. Kikyo has finally passed and when her soul passed through me, I felt the warmth of her blessing for Inuyasha and me. Her bitterness that she had previously felt was completely gone. _

Kagome placed a palm gently on the warm bark of the tree. Five hundred years in the past, the tree was smoother in its youth, but the feeling was still the same. A sudden peace filled her like it always did whenever she was near the tree and suddenly her sadness did not seem so profound.

A feeling of familiarity covered her like a tidal wave and flowed from the tree through her palm and into her body. She could smell the clean air of the feudal era and it felt like her and Inuyasha weren't so far away after all. Her heart suddenly didn't feel so lonely. _We will never be far apart, as long as the tree connects us. _

"Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered the hanyou's name as a rare smile grew on her face.

"Inuyasha…"

A sudden whispering woke the silver haired half-man from his slumber up in the large branched of the sacred tree. In his half-asleep state, he could have sworn that the voice belonged to Kagome. Shaking it off as nothing more than a dream, he let himself slip back into a light slumber.

The hanyou had taken to sleeping up in the boughs of the Sacred Tree recently. Nowhere else could bring him more peace and make him feel closer to Kagome than this very spot. At the moment, he could practically smell her and feel her black hair tickling his face, like it used to do when she rode on his back and a cross wind whipped it forward into his face. He used to get so made at her and once he even asked her why she didn't tie the damn stuff back like Kikyo did. The sad look he received from her gnawed at his heart for an entire week and he had promised himself never to make that mistake again. His dreams were more peaceful from that moment on and they were filled with ebony hair and deep brown eyes that sparkled with merriment at his expense.

The sunlight beating through the leaves woke Inuyasha when it lit upon his face. He grudgingly opened his eyes and surrendered his wonderful dreams of Kagome to the bleakness of a new day. The peacefulness still enveloped him as he made his way towards the village. He was hardly within the village boundaries for five minutes before the new baby that Sango and Miroku had was screaming its lungs out. Inuyasha tapped his foot in aggravation as Sango tried to calm the brat down. Her stomach was started to become round again since she was once more pregnant with another of Miroku's children.

His mind replaced Sango with Kagome and the baby inside her belly would be his own. He could see her clearly, her skin glowing and her stomach rounded out. He would protect her and their pup with all of his strength. The thought of fatherhood terrified him, but he would be more than willing to try with Kagome. _Our pup..._

Inuyasha could not handle to be around the happy young family for too long before he took off for the forest. He made his rounds around the village, pretending that he was doing it to keep the villagers safe. In reality, he was simply looking for some thing to beat the living hell out of.

His wants were granted for once as a large spider demon crawled out of its cave on the far out-reaches of the village.

"What are you doing in my territory, hanyou?" The spider demon's voice grated on Inuyasha's already frayed nerves. He let his sword be the answer as he drew it. It transformed into its large form readily and Inuyasha stood his ground. "Oh, you dare bare your filthy mutt teeth at me? I will kill you!"

The spider demon leaped readily at Inuyasha. He dodged, but did so sloppily. One of the spider's eight legs jabbed into his side painfully. Ignoring the pain and the loss of blood, Inuyasha killed the spider demon in one quick stroke, cursing his error in judgment. He would never admit it, but his fighting skill dwindled when there wasn't someone worth fighting for. Even Tetsusaiga was less powerful without a human that was close to his heart to protect.

_Kagome…_

When his adrenaline stopped pumping, Inuyasha winced at the wound the spider had left. It was deeper than he thought and the edges were already turning a green tint.

"Damn. Poisonous, were you? You bastard." Inuyasha kicked the demon carcass one last time for good measure before laboriously forcing himself to walk back to the village. The poison took its toll and Inuyasha fell to his knees in pain. Glancing up, he saw the green leaves and the smooth white bark of the sacred tree before him. Gathering up a little more strength, he pulled himself against the tree. His blood stained the ground underneath the tree and he slowly closed his eyes. _I will just rest for a moment to regain my strength…_

"See you later Kagome!"

"Bye Higuraishi!"

"See you later guys!" Kagome waved from the top of the shrine steps as her friends and Hojo walked away. Once they were out of sight, she let out a large sigh. It was hard hanging out with her extremely happy friends when she still felt down. It was also hard hanging out with Hojo, when he still thought that he had a chance at her heart. His attempts to woo her were getting a little out of hand; her friends weren't helping to dissuade him either. But it wasn't as if she could tell them that she had already fallen in love with a half-demon that lived 500 years in the past. As if.

Kagome lost herself to her thoughts as she strolled toward her home. As she passed the sacred tree, a sudden feeling of pain overwhelmed her. Gasping, she fell to her knees. Concentrating, Kagome took a few laborious breaths as she crawled towards the tree. As she collapsed at its trunk, the pain left her and she realized that the excruciating pain did not belong to her, although it felt so very real and close that a dull ache still resonated through her entire body.

Her own world grew hazy and a sense of déjà vu hit her. She was reminded of the time that Kikyo pushed her through the well when Menōmaru was threatening the entire feudal era. She couldn't get back through the well, but Inuyasha and her managed to form a connection through the tree. It was as if she was right next to him. The feeling was the same now. Back then, she could feel a pain that was his as well; the pain that she created by shooting him with an arrow.

"Inu…yasha?" Kagome whispered his name softly, afraid that if she voiced it too loud, he would disappear again. She could feel the pain that he was feeling, but without the excruciation that she has felt previously. In the connection through the tree that the two of them shared, Kagome was surrounded by a whiteness. She felt the tree at her back, but she knew that she wasn't alone. His presence surrounded her, and she could see him, leaning nearby, a wound apparent in his side.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome placed one hand warily on his shoulder, shaking him gently. His eyes squeezed together tightly before opening. The young woman was taken aback by the sudden appearance of his golden eyes in such a colorless dimension. Even though they haunted her dreams, her memory of them didn't do them justice. They stared at her with confusion and she found herself drowning in amber seas.

"Kagome?" He hesitantly placed one hand on her face, cupping her cheek. He was just as afraid as she was that this wasn't real. But as his skin contacted hers, relief dawned on his face. He pulled her into his arms without another thought. Kagome felt a tear roll down her face at the pure relief she felt at being in his arms once more. Her joyous feelings didn't last long as she felt her shirt becoming soaked with his blood.

Kagome pushed herself away from him and looked at his wound in shock. She carefully pulled back his clothing from the bloody area. He winced in pain and Kagome gave him a look of apology. His eyes were clenched shut once more.

"Inuyasha? What happened?" Kagome continued to inspect his wound. It went from the front of his left side out the back and the edges were tinged green. She could feel the demon poison's aura resonating inside.

"It was a spider demon. The bastard caught me off guard." Inuyasha wasn't about to tell her the truth about how he sucked at fighting ever since she left. Feelings weren't exactly his thing. "Kagome…I…Sango and Miroku and Shippo, they miss you a lot."

Kagome smiled. _He isn't fooling anybody. _"I miss all of them too. And I miss you, Inuyasha." She tore her gaze away and tried to ignore the blush that was growing on both of their faces. Inuyasha groaning in pain pulled her away from her embarrassment. Without thinking, she placed both of her hands upon the wound. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the pull of her spiritual energy. She used the worry she felt for Inuyasha to use the energy the way that she wanted.

Inuyasha felt a warmth growing where there once was only pain and it caused him to open his eyes. He watched in silence as Kagome closed her eyes and a healing sensation travelled from her hands and into his wound. His amazement was visible on his face and he felt a great sense of pride for his miko at her newly discovered powers.

"Kagome…" He muttered her name as he felt everything that was her starting to fade away. She looked up at him in shock, feeling the same thing.

"Inuyasha!" He could hear the urgency in her voice, but she said nothing more. She was at a loss of what to say. Who knew when she would see him again? _Say something, idiot. Anything. _"Please wait for me," she said, without thinking. Inuyasha simply gave her a sharp nod. He reached his arms out for her, but she was already gone.

Cursing, Inuyasha pulled himself to his feet as the white world born of their connection disappeared.

_Inuyasha. Please wait for me…_

He could hear her words echoing in his heart and he nodded once more to himself.

"I will wait Kagome. I will wait forever if I have to."

Thanks for reading another chapter! I do appreciate reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi!

Also, I need to post a warning here. This chapter is a definite M rating, which has caused me to have to change the over-all rating of the story. At one point in this chapter, things get pretty bad. If you are faint of heart, or innocent, please do not read this chapter. I have never written anything like this before, but I believe if it is written well enough, it can be tasteful and not just trash. I hope I managed to accomplish that. It is extremely mature content and is also slightly disturbing, to tell the truth. It is also needed for my story to continue. So, forgive me if you do not like it, but please do not let it deter you from continuing to read my stories!

You have been warned!

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><p>Chapter Four: Nightmares<p>

Kagome slowly opened her eyes. Her head ached and the sunlight that poured through her window wasn't helping the pain that thudded behind her temples. She felt groggy and weak and as the memories of the previous day poured through her mind, she held her hands up to her face. They looked no different from before, but the power that had poured out of them the previous day made them seem foreign to her. She wiggled each finger experimentally and watched as they followed her command. _They are still my hands, but I have no idea how I did what I did. _

Pushing herself up slowly, Kagome threw aside her pink comforter and dangled her legs over the edge of her bed. She ran one hand over the soft mattress almost lovingly. When she was sleeping in the feudal era, she dreamt of this very mattress and how she wished to be sleeping upon it rather than the rock hard ground. But now that she was denied the choice, she would trade all of her modern comforts for even one night back with her friends.

After the throbbing in her head ebbed away slightly, Kagome pushed herself up from the bed. An idea sprung into her mind when she noticed a large bruise on her knee from when she collapsed in pain the day before. The miko pressed both of her hands against the injury and concentrated all of her powers, like she had with Inuyasha. All she received from her efforts was the return of her headache and a feeling of stupidity. _I guess it only works on other people…_

Feeling disappointed and distraught that she had gotten a taste of Inuyasha only to lose him again, Kagome counted her loses and decided not to dwell on it anymore. She marched from her room and into the bathroom. Tomorrow was the first day of her last year of high school and she still had a lot of preparations to make. She couldn't stop one last sigh from escaping her lips as she slipped into the water of her bath.

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><p>Miroku bounced his new baby boy on his knee as his first-born child walked on wobbly legs. He watched as she made it to her mother's side and clutched tightly to her kimono. Sango looked down at her daughter with a loving gaze before turning back to the dinner that she was making. A light rattling caused both of them to turn their heads towards the mat door that hung at the entrance of their hut.<p>

Inuyasha pulled the door back as he pushed his way into their home. The one year old, named Suki, giggled loudly and wobbled towards the inu-hanyou.

"Dog-maa," she bubbled, as he lifted her into his arms, not quite able to make the word 'man' yet. A slight smirk graced his face as he tossed the young girl slightly into the air, earning more laughs from her. Miroku smiled and thanked the Kami that Inuyasha had somehow seen Kagome six months prior. His mood had lightened considerably, although he was still much more silent that he had previously been. It took a considerable amount of effort from Shippo in order to get a rise out of the half-demon. Naturally, that didn't stop the kitsune from trying his hardest.

Inuyasha was able to at least stand the happy little family now, especially since Miroku wanted yet another child, but Sango was having none of it. She was exceptionally non-tolerant to his lecherous ways, much to Inuyasha's bleak delight. He watched as the idiot balanced the babe on one hip and used his other hand to stroke his wife's bottom. He watched as her face grew red with anger and he watched as she snatched their child from the monk with one hand and smacked him with the other. He grinned a fanged grin and sat down in the corner of their main room, balancing Suki on his lap. Miyo, their son, gurgled in his mother's arms.

For the thousandth time, he wished for Kagome to be there with them. He could hear her laughing at Miroku's antics and he could see her holding Miyo. He had seen her with her baby cousin once and had been mesmerized at how amazing she was with children. Once more, his mind envisioned her holding his pup instead. A pup with his long silver hair and her deep brown eyes. Maybe even a pair of fluffy dog-ears upon his head, since Kagome seemed to like those so much.

Inuyasha didn't doubt that he wanted a son more than anything. He wanted to raise a child the way that he wished he had been raised: with love and comfort. No son of his would even have to run for his life or forage desperately for food since the last meal he had was a week ago. He frowned as bad memories mingled with the hope of good memories to come. He knew he had come a long way, Kagome had told him so, but he couldn't shake the horrible things that he had to live through. He had nightmares sometimes. But sometimes it wasn't always a bad thing. He remembered a time when Kagome had woken to him having a nightmare.

_It was the same dream as always. Inuyasha was running through the dark woods, trying desperately not to trip. He knew that if he did, it would mean his life was forfeit. The hanyou was a child once more, scared and alone in the world. He didn't know what was chasing him, he never did, but he knew that it was something bigger than him; it was something that would kill him in a heartbeat. _

_The end of the dream was always the same as well. He always ended up falling; he'd trip over something like a rock or a stray branch. Hitting the ground, he would turn and see the gleaming dark red eyes of his pursuer. But a figure with a flowing white kimono and dark black hair would appear to him. _

"_Kagome?" He asked the darkness. The figure shook their head and stepped forward into the light of the moon. It was then that he saw that it was his mother. Her eyes looked sad as she looked down upon his small form, strewn on the ground. "Mother! Run away mother!" He screamed for her to leave, as the demon would approach. _

_But it was too late. As the clawed hand of the demon ripped through his mother, she became Kikyo. And lately in his dreams, she would become Kagome as well. All of the women in his life that he had sworn to protect; he failed them all in his dream, and some of them in real life as well. _

_Inuyasha awoke; sweat poured down his face and made his robe of the fire rat cling to his skin. Disgusted with his weakness over a mere dream, the hanyou rushed into the forest to the river that was nearby, never bothering to check on the group of humans sleeping beneath the tree he had been perched in. _

_If he had lingered a moment or listened to the group beneath him, he would have heard that a certain black haired miko had awoken when he had unknowingly whispered her name in his dream. She could hear the pain laced through his voice when her name left his lips, so she carefully pulled back her sleeping bag, placed Shippo gently inside it, and followed Inuyasha into the woods. _

_Without another thought, the silver-haired man leaped into the river before him, fire robes and all. As he hit the cold water with a slash, his breath was forced out of his lungs. He rarely bathed, so he wasn't used to the chill. 'Damn, how does Kagome handle this cold water?' He recalled her bathing in it the afternoon before. He had heard her splashing around without even seeming to notice the chill. 'It must be colder at night,' he thought, not willing to allow himself to be out done by a mere mortal woman. _

_He resurfaced quickly and gulped in some fresh night air. He shivered a little, although the temperature of the water was only half the reason. The dream was still fresh on his mind. And although the swift current of the river had washed away the sweat that had stained his brow, the memory of the terror he had felt would not leave so easily. _

_He slowly made his way to shore. This time, his ears heard the quiet footsteps and the sound of a twig snapping. He glanced up quickly. Once more his breath left his body in one swift motion. There was Kagome, standing in a pale beam of moonlight as it broke through the canopy of the dark forest. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the light as her ebony locks of hair contrasted sharply. He could see her deep brown eyes glowing slightly as she attempted to rub the sleep out of them with the back of one delicate hand. He climbed out of the river as she stifled a yawn. _

"_What are you doing up, wench?" His voice was gruff and low, but she saw right through him to the pain and fear that the dream had caused. She ignored the insulting nickname and instead joined him as he sat on a flat rock nearby. They both remained silent for a moment and Kagome took in the view. Moonlight danced in dappled spots across the river as it gurgled and flowed peacefully. It cut its way through the densely packed trees, carving through sheets of rock. She could hear a sound in the distance that could be nothing other than a small waterfall. _

"_I heard you mumbling in your sleep," Kagome finally responded. He could tell that she wasn't telling the whole truth, but decided not to push it. He didn't want to know exactly what she had heard him saying. "Did you have another nightmare, Inuyasha?"_

'_Another?' It was then that he realized that this wasn't a new occurrence to her. He wondered just how many times his pathetic whimpering had awaken her. The thought of appearing weak in Kagome's eyes made him feel angry with himself. He couldn't stand being weak. But he took it out on her, like always. _

"_Why the fuck would that matter to you, wench," he snarled, refusing to look at her face. He used the insulting nickname again, rather than her own name. He remembered when they first met, how it had taken him days to call her something other than "stupid" or "you". He knew it peeved her when he didn't use her actual name. He heard her clench her teeth together. She took the bait of his insult, like she always did. _

"_Excuse me! Forgive me for caring about you!" The tiny gasp that she made after yelling at him told him that she hadn't meant to say those actual words. What she actually said finally wormed underneath the shield of anger than he had placed around himself. 'Caring? About me?' He finally looked at the woman sitting beside him. She was staring across the river, desperately trying not to look at his face. He saw that her jaw was still clenched and that her hands were in tiny fists beside her. 'Boy, I've sure made her mad this time'._

"_Yeah, I had a nightmare," he whispered, just loud enough for the miko to hear him. He joined her in looking across the river. She let out a small breath and he could see her relax out of the corner of his eye. His miko friend had a very forgiving heart, and no matter what he did, she could never stay mad at him for too long. _

"_I have nightmares too, sometimes," she confessed, her voice light. He couldn't help but glance at her. She was looking at him now, a sad and slightly fearful look in her eyes. He was instantly overwhelmed by the strong desire to protect her, but how could he protect her from something that was in her own mind? His hand lingered towards Tetsusaiga's hilt on impulse before he realized that nightmares were nothing his beloved sword could defeat. Before he could speak, she continued. "They're almost always the same. I dream that Naraku somehow finds out about the well. He discovers a way to travel through it. I'll be in my era, at school usually, when the sky darkens. Then he shows up and starts killing everyone—my friends, mama, Souta, grandfather." She paused to catch her breath. He could feel the fear radiating from her now, but he didn't know what to do. So he waited. _

"_Then he comes for me. I…I usually scream for you, but you never come," she finished, a light blush on her cheeks at the mention of her screaming for him to save her. There was something else she was hiding as well, but he decided not to push her. She met his eyes once more. A small smile grew on her face. "We all have nightmares, Inuyasha, there's no reason to be ashamed." He wasn't that surprised that Kagome knew exactly what was at the heart of his thinking, not really. She sometimes seemed to know him better than he knew himself. _

"_Kagome…I would never let Naraku do that. So, you don't need to be scared anymore, ok?" He couldn't stand that damned scent; the scent of her fear. It lingered in the air around her. He was going to continue and say how he would kill the bastard before he let him lay a hand on Kagome's family, or Kagome herself, but the words died in his throat as he felt Kagome take his hand. The fear that had once surrounded her was now replaced with sadness. Inuyasha briefly wondered what he had done in her dreams to cause such feelings. Without even thinking, he tightened his fingers around hers, careful not to scratch her with his claws, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Almost as if her delicate hand belonged within his. _

"_And I won't let anyone hurt you ever again, either, Inuyasha," she whispered. A yawn escaped her lips as she leaned her head against his shoulder. 'Kagome,' he thought, a smile growing on his face. He knew she couldn't protect him from his past, but he had a feeling that his heart might be safe with her in the future. _

His nightmares these days were different. They were of Kagome never returning or her getting hurt in her own era when he couldn't save her. The content might have changed, but they still affected him the same, and he couldn't help but wish that Kagome were there to comfort him once more.

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><p>Kagome awoke in her own bed. One glance at the clock on her nightstand told her that it was the middle of the night. The silence of her room was stifling, and she quickly rolled out of bed and opened her window, in hopes that the noises of the night would calm her nerves. Something didn't feel right.<p>

A breeze filtered in through the window the moment she popped the lock and pushed it open, but none of the normal sounds of night filtered in. There was no chirping of crickets and no sound of the city that would still be active, even this late on a Sunday evening. There was nothing but silence.

"What's going on?" Kagome whispered aloud, as much in questioning as in a way to fill the void of noiselessness. She let out a sigh of relief at the sound of her own voice. Internally, she berated herself for being so foolish as to believe that all sound had left the word. She laughed nervously.

"Hey." A distinctly male voice caused Kagome to scream and jump. She quickly turned around and stumbled. The ground rushed up to meet her and she landed painfully on her bottom. Her heartbeat was thudding in her ears as she squinted at the silhouette that was in her window. That voice…it was so familiar.

All at once, it came to her. The knowledge flooded her mind and her heart quickened once more, although for a completely different reason. She felt her face flush from the embarrassment of being caught unawares. Surely he would chastise her for being such a weak human.

Instead of a stern word or a quick quip about how weak she was and how easy it was to sneak up on her, the figure in the window chuckled. It seemed to her that the laugh that she had come to know was somehow different, but relief flooded her body and she suddenly felt weak with it all.

"Inu…yasha?" She didn't dare to fully believe that he was really there. The figure in the window jumped completely into her room and walked slowly to where she was still sprawled on the floor. He reached out a hand; more importantly, he reached out a clawed hand. Kagome glanced around and made sure that she was still in her room and not in the world between worlds where she had seen him last.

Without another moment's hesitation, Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand. It was warm and callused, just as she remembered. Tears pooled in her eyes, but she desperately held them back. There was no way that she was going to ruin their reunion by blubbering like a baby.

As soon as she was on her feet, she found herself pulled into the hanyou's strong arms. She couldn't help it anymore. The tears that she had tried to withstand poured down her face as the relief at being with him once more escaped her body. She would have collapsed into a puddle on the floor if he hadn't been holding her so tightly.

"But…how?" Kagome whispered the confusion into Inuyasha's shoulder, but she knew he would still be able to hear her. The hanyou gave her no response. "Inuyasha?"

The miko attempted to push back from him and look at his face. She wanted to take in his golden eyes and drown in their depths, but she found that he was clutching her too tightly.

"Inuyasha...I can't breathe," she whined, her breath coming to her in labored gulps as he squeezed her too tightly. Pain suddenly laced through her shoulders, where his hands were gripping her tightly. It reminded her of the pain from Kaguya's castle, when he had dug his elongated claws into her arms. _His claws? But why?_

The relief and safety that she had formerly felt in his arms turned into fear. Kagome desperately tried to pull away from him. The pain in her shoulders grew as he latched on even tighter. Desperately, the miko quickly twisted to her right as she pulled backwards. The move seemed to catch the hanyou off guard, and Kagome fell, draped halfway across her bed.

She glanced at Inuyasha. He stood hunched over, his arms dangling to his sides. She watched as her own blood dripped off of his claws. His fringe covered his face in shadow, but when he raised his head and glanced up at her from under the silver hair, she saw that his eyes were glowing red through the darkness. Kagome gasped aloud, the pain in her shoulders suddenly forgotten.

"Inuyasha!" She shouted his name, not caring if she woke up mama or Souta or gramps. The full demon Inuyasha didn't take notice. He stood where he had hugged her, staring her down with those deadly eyes of his. Kagome pushed herself further up on the bed in an attempt to place some distance between them. It didn't occur to her to attempt to kiss him or hold him to change him back. All she knew was fear. It radiated through her body as her pulse quickened. Her breath increased as the demon took a few steps towards her.

She watched as crimson blood dripped off his claws one drop at a time, falling to land noiselessly on her white carpet. Inuyasha brought one clawed finger to his lips and licked the blood off slowly, all while Kagome watched on in horror.

Laughter filled the room again, but this time it wasn't an innocent chuckle. She had heard him laugh like this once before. It was as he was shredding bandits to pieces. It was an evil laugh, full of hatred and joy at the thrill of killing and the scent of blood. She was suddenly scared for a difference reason. _Mama, gramps, Souta! I've got to warn them! _All thoughts of keeping herself safe were abandoned, as Kagome attempted to rush past the demon Inuyasha and get out the door of her bedroom.

She didn't even make it off the bed. A clawed hand caught her hair and threw her backwards onto the soft comforter. The laugh that she despised echoed eerily through her room.

"Where do you think you're going, miko wench?" His voice was lower than usual, and harder. He had called her names before, but it sounded crueler now, as if he really meant it this time. He growled before leaping on the bed with her. Before she could roll away, he had her arms pinned down with his hands. She could feel his claws digging into her wrists as he held her firmly in place. She attempted to kick out with her legs, but found them pinned beneath his own.

Kagome stopped struggling. He was simply too strong. Even a sit curse was out of the question now, with her below him. _Why didn't I think to use that earlier?_ Inuyasha laughed once more as he brought his face close to her own. Her pulse quickened at his close proximity. She could smell the scent that was distinctly his; it was a scent that reminded her of the outdoors, of the wind in her hair, all mixed in with something that was distinctly male.

She saw the jagged purple lines that adorned his face. His larger fangs along with his huge blood red eyes turned his normally handsome face into that of a monster. A sinister snarl was upon his face as he placed his nose against her neck. She heard him inhale deeply through his nose as he nuzzled deeper into her hair. _Is he…is he smelling me?_

"Wench, you smell good enough to eat," he snarled. She felt something wet upon her neck and realized that it was his tongue. He was licking along her neck. Pain followed the wetness as he bit into her delicate flesh with his sharp fangs. Kagome squirmed underneath him. _I've dreamt of this before. But it didn't happen like this._ Even through all the fear, she blushed at the memory of some of her dreams about Inuyasha.

He abruptly pulled his face back from her neck and looked her in the face. She saw desire and lust evident, even in his demonic eyes. Blood adorned his lips from where he had bitten her neck. Her fear increased and she found herself mumbling the word no, over and over, as if Inuyasha in his demon form would listen to her. He shifted both of her wrists into one hand, freeing his right one. She shuddered as he shredded all of her clothing in one swipe. He left claw marks on her skin, but she knew that he wouldn't care about that.

Exposed, Kagome felt her face heat up. Even though it was a dangerous situation, this was still Inuyasha underneath the demonic presence. He had seen her naked a couple of times, but never like this. She squirmed, desperately trying to cross her legs and cover her chest. The inuyoukai simply laughed at her attempts.

She screamed for help as he forced a knee between her legs, effectively opening them. Her screams increased as he single handedly removed his own pants and undergarments. Kagome looked away, not wanting to see him like this. She had seen him naked once or twice before as well, but she had never looked at him like that. Her eyes had always stopped at his hard, chiseled chest. And she had always turned away before seeing anything else.

As her desperation reached its maximum, Kagome felt a sudden rush of warmth flood through her body. She screamed no one last time, feeling the warmth turn into a familiar tingling sensation. She recognized it as her own spiritual power, and she realized what was happening a moment too late to stop it.

A blast of energy departed her body and hit Inuyasha full on. _No, I didn't mean to…_She knew what the energy was before it even hit him. It was purification energy, similar to what was infused in her arrows, only more powerful. It could easily purify a demon of Inuyasha's stature. It hit the full demon Inuyasha directly, causing him to get knocked backwards off the bed. Kagome quickly followed him, scrambling over the edge of her bed, her exposed and injured body completely forgotten.

She saw him change back to his hanyou form as the energy demolished the demon within him. His golden eyes met hers and he whispered her name. Confusion was evident on his face, as well as betrayal. She imagined it was the exact look he had given Kikyo before he was sealed to the sacred tree.

And then, he was gone. The energy that she had expelled at him was enough to complete purify his entire body.

Kagome opened her mouth and screamed, as the heart within her chest seemed to break in half.

The scream died in her throat as she found herself on the floor of her bedroom, her blanket tangled around her legs. A pool of sunlight hit her in the face and she sat upright quickly, her heart beating painfully.

She clutched the pajama fabric tightly over where her heart was beating erratically. The dream was lodged tightly in her mind, vivid and terrifying. She shuddered and pulled her blanket tightly around her shoulders, but no amount of warmth would remove the chill that ran through her body as she kept picturing Inuyasha's eyes in that moment, betrayal cutting through her like a knife.

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><p>Thanks for reading! I would appreciate reviews and I hope it wasn't too disturbing! I hope that you will continue to read regardless! I love you all!<p> 


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